Humanitarian Response To The 2015 Nepal Earthquake

An earthquake struck Nepal at on 25 April 2015 with a moment magnitude of 7.8 (or 8.1 M_s) and a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (''Violent''). It was the most powerful earthquake to strike Nepal since the 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake. Many thousands of people died, with most casualties reported in Nepal (including Mount Everest), and adjoining areas of India, China, and Bangladesh.

Within minutes of the earthquake, the Government of India, initiated Operation Maitri via the Indian Armed Forces, and created humanitarian missions with the primary objective of conducting relief and rescue operations in Nepal. India was the largest aid donor to Nepal after the earthquake by donating one billion dollars and other non-monetary reliefs. Many countries and organizations donated aid, including China, the United Kingdom, and the United States, all of which provided or funded helicopters as requested by the Nepalese government. Numerous charitable organizations, such as UNICEF and Médecins Sans Frontières, delivered aid. Israel provided a large team of people to the relief effort in Nepal. Another earthquake, or major aftershock struck Nepal on 12 May 2015. A total of $3 billion was pledged by donors to help rebuild Nepal.

India

25 April: initial response

The Government of India was among the first to respond to the crisis by launching a full-fledged rescue and relief operation codenamed Operation Maitri. Within 15 minutes of the quake, Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately ordered the dispatch of relief and rescue teams, including medical teams, to Nepal. By the afternoon ten teams from India's National Disaster Response Force, totaling 450 personnel and including several search and rescue dogs, arrived in Nepal; ten additional Indian Air Force planes departed to join them. In the immediate aftermath, India sent 43 tons of relief material, including tents and food. Modi spoke with Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and assured him of India's support and assistance.

The Indian Army sent three military commanders led by Major General J. S. Sandhu to Nepal to coordinate, oversee, and fast-track the rescue, relief, and evacuation efforts. The Indian personnel worked closely with hundreds of retired Gorkha soldiers of the Indian Army. The Indian Air Force mobilised its Ilyushin Il-76, C-130J Hercules, Antonov An-32 and C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft and Mi-17 helicopters for Operation Maitri.

26 April

The Indian Air Force evacuated over 500 citizens from Nepal between 25 and 26 April, and hundreds later on 26 April. Ten flights were scheduled for 26 April, which airlifted army forward hospitals, teams of doctors, nurses, and paramedics, engineering task forces, water, food, National Disaster Response Force teams, medical personnel and equipment, blankets, stretchers, and tents.

An Indian army mountaineering team recovered the bodies of 19 mountaineers from Everest base camp and rescued at least 61 stranded climbers on the mountain. Indian Air Force helicopters reached Everest on the morning of 26 April for rescue operations. Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar announced that six more National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams would be sent to Nepal in the next 48 hours, and that the aircraft sent to Nepal would not just rescue Indians, but citizens of other countries as well.

By nightfall, India dispatched a further 10 tons of blankets, 50 tons of water, 22 tons of food items, and 2 tons of medical supplies to Kathmandu. Nearly 1,000 NDRF personnel were assigned, and Indian citizens were evacuated by road. The government deployed 35 buses to evacuate stranded Indians in Nepal via two routes—Sonauli and Raxaul—along the Indo-Nepal border. India issued goodwill visas to foreigners stranded in Nepal and mobilised buses and ambulances to bring them to India by road. Indian Railways shipped 100,000 bottles of drinking water via the Air Force to be delivered as part of the relief effort. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu later tweeted that there were arrangements being made to supply 100,000 bottles every day. Air India reduced fares on flights bound for Kathmandu from Delhi, Kolkata, and Varanasi, and announced that it would also carry relief material on its flights. Similarly, SpiceJet offered to accommodate "accredited NGOs and relief organizations looking to transport emergency supplies" and doctors free of charge.

27 April

By Monday morning, the Indian Air Force evacuated 1,935 Indian citizens from Nepal using 12 aircraft sorties. Indian Army sources said six of 18 medical teams assigned to help with the relief efforts in Nepal had been deployed. The Indian Army sent ten engineer task forces with machinery to clear roads and debris. The troops took an additional 10,000 blankets with them, and 1,000 tents were on standby. The Indian army also brought oxygen cylinders to distribute to medical teams.

An inter-ministerial team comprising senior officials from the ministries of Home, Defence, External Affairs, and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) went to Nepal to coordinate rescue and relief operations. The decision to send the high-level team was taken at a meeting chaired by Modi on 26 April. The team coordinated with the Nepalese government in damage assessment and rescue, relief, and salvage operations. India sent unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Kathmandu to map the destruction in Nepal and distribute resources effectively. The UAVs also located survivors in half-collapsed buildings, and were used to look through balconies or windows for trapped victims.

The Indian government sent teams of senior executives and engineers from state-run energy companies to Nepal to restore power lines and ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies. In the first phase, a team of five senior executives from the Indian Oil Corporation and more than a dozen engineers from the PowerGrid Corporation of India went to Nepal. By the end of 27 April, five tons of milk, light vehicles, a reverse osmosis plant, oxygen regenerators, medical supplies, blankets, tents, and 14 tons of food (ITC noodles) were sent to Nepal, and personnel including three NDRF teams, two field hospitals, and two Air Force communication centre vehicles were also dispatched. The Indian Air Force conducted extensive helicopter operations, rescuing at least 337 injured people and air-dropping 3.5 tons of relief materials in inaccessible places.

By the end of 27 April, approximately 5,400 Indian citizens were evacuated from Nepal; 30 foreign nationals were evacuated to India. The Indian government received requests for help from many countries and evacuated their citizens to India. Jaishankar announced that three additional NDRF teams were being sent to Nepal on Monday. The Indian Army Corps of Engineers repaired and reopened the road from Kathmandu to Pokhara. The Ministry of Defence established a satellite communication link between the Indian Army Corps of Engineers and the Nepalese Army Headquarters. The Indian Army set up a task force headquarters in Kathmandu under Major General Sandhu and another in Barpak under Brigadier Gamlin. The Indian Air Force sent four additional helicopters – four HAL Dhruv advanced light helicopters and two Cheetah helicopters – to Pokhara to expedite rescue efforts.

28 April

By Tuesday, 28 April, India deployed 18 medical teams, three field hospitals, and two mobile teams of specialist doctors. With improving weather, the Indian Air Force and Indian Army spread out into remote areas while transporting essential items from various bases to Kathmandu and evacuating distressed persons to India. A 41-member medical team with medical supplies was sent to Nepal from Rajasthan. The Sashastra Seema Bal dispatched over three dozen vehicles, including ambulances and water tankers to Nepal from its border camps. The Indian government delivered 220 tons of food packets and dry rations, 50 tons of water, 2 tons of medicines, 40 tents, and 1,400 blankets to Nepal. The Indian Army established a 45-bed hospital at Lagankhel, Nepal, to treat those injured in the quake.

By the end of the day, India had evacuated 20,000 Indian citizens and 170 foreign nationals from Nepal. The foreign nationals included 4 people from Brazil, 20 from the Czech Republic, 5 from France, 8 from Germany, 1 from Mexico, 33 from Poland, 1 from Romania, 2 from Russia, 2 from South Africa, 71 from Spain, 1 from Switzerland, 4 from Tanzania, 3 from the United Kingdom, 5 from Ukraine, and 10 from the United States.

Despite their widespread help, India's relief operation was not without controversy. Citizens and media (local and international) accused the Indian Army of not deferring to Nepalese authority, carrying out relief operations at their own will without any coordination, and blocking the only international airport with their military cargo planes waiting to fly Indian citizens back home, which delayed aid and relief from other nations as their relief planes were grounded at various airports in India for days. Another report accused the Indian Army helicopters flying too close to China's no-fly zone with the intent of spying. Indian media faced a similar backlash for their insensitive reporting, which made the hashtag #GoHomeIndianMedia trend on Twitter.

Other nations

Algeria

According to the Xinhua News Agency, Algeria dispatched 70 relief workers, medicines, and other supplies to Nepal.

Australia

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop announced an immediate AUD$5 million aid package of life-saving humanitarian support to Nepal consisting of $2.5 million to assist Australian non-government organisations, $2 million to support United Nations partners, and $500,000 to support the Australian Red Cross. Australia also dispatched two humanitarian experts and a crisis response team to the region.

Austria

Austria gave €750,000 to help with relief efforts in Nepal. The Austrian Red Cross sent several search and rescue staff to the region.

Azerbaijan

The Ministry of Emergency Situations sent one ton of drugs, medical supplies, tents, blankets, and packaged drinking water aboard Beriev Be-200 aircraft.

Bangladesh

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was dismayed by the deaths caused by the earthquake and dispatched a BAF Lockheed C-130B aircraft with 10 tonnes of relief materials, including tents, dry food, water, and blankets. The aircraft also carried a 34-member team consisting of six military medical teams and representatives of the Foreign Ministry. The aircraft dropped the teams off in Nepal and returned with 50 Bangladeshi citizens, including stranded women, minors and the visiting under-14 female football team.

Bangladesh provided at least 100,000 tons of rice and other relief materials including drinking water to help the earthquake victims in Nepal. Xinhua quoted Bangladeshi Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury as saying, "We will send more 50,000 metric tons of rice and other relief materials later". She also stated that Bangladeshi Food Minister Qamrul Islam had already been called for initiating an immediate measure in response to the earthquake, Bangladesh had been sending relief materials to Nepal regularly following the earthquake that killed at least 6,700 people, and that the country wanted to stand beside Nepal as it had played an important role in favor of Bangladesh's independence in 1971. Four cargo trucks carrying approximately 25 metric tons of essential relief materials for earthquake victims in Nepal left Dhaka on 27 April.

The cargo traveled through the Banglabandh-Fulbari-Panitanki-Kakarbhitta land route. Materials included 3,000 cartons of dry food and fruit juice donated by local organisation Pran, and 5,000 pieces of blankets donated by leading development organisation BRAC. Some of the materials were donated by various private companies, charitable organisations, and educational institutions, and others were collected by Nepalese and Bangladeshi volunteers.

Belgium

Belgium offered search and rescue teams to Nepal.

Bhutan

Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay expressed his condolences and solidarity with the people of Nepal through social media. Economic Affairs Minister Norbu Wangchuk also conveyed condolences, and announced the suspension of World Intellectual Property Day celebrations in solidarity with the Nepali, and that there was no major damage in Bhutan. Under the command of the Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, a medical team of 63 personnel led by Tobgay and the health minister arrived in Kathmandu. Bhutan provided a rehabilitation fund of Nu.62 million (US$1 million). Bhutan's national flag flew at half mast to mourn the loss of lives caused by the earthquake.

Brazil

The Brazilian Ministry of External Relations released a note expressing "deep sadness" and conveyed its "condolences and solidarity to the families of the victims, the people and the Government of Nepal".

Brunei

Brunei sent eight-man relief contingents, comprising two doctors and four paramedics from the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and Brunei's Gurkha Reserve Unit.

Bulgaria

President Rosen Plevneliev conveyed his condolences to the earthquake victims on behalf of Bulgaria.

Canada

Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a statement offering "heartfelt condolences to the people of Nepal and northern India", and "wish nga speedy recovery to all those injured". The statement clarified that Canadian officials in the region were "working with Nepalese and Indian authorities" to locate and ensure the safety of any Canadians in the area, while also "cooperat ngwith international partners oassess the needs of the affected populations to determine how Canada may most effectively assist with the disaster". Foreign Affairs Minister Rob Nicholson asserted that "Canada will do everything it can to assist", and said the country was contributing CAD $5 million to the relief efforts. A Disaster Assistance Response Team advance group, consisting of 30 experts, departed for Nepal on the evening of 26 April. Many Canadian humanitarian organizations pledged to contribute to the relief efforts, and several community groups commenced active fundraising for Nepal. On 27 April, the federal government announced that it would "match – dollar-for-dollar – all eligible contributions" made to the newly established Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund retroactively from 26 April until 25 May, and "offered to expedite immigration applications from the devastated region, … as well as extend student, work or visitor visas for Nepalese".

The same day, the country's most populous province – Ontario – pledged CAD $1 million to the Canadian Red Cross

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